Political Organization and Institutions in Medieval Spain
Political Organization and Institutions
Royal Power and the Rise of the Courts
The power of kings was limited to the royal lands. In 1188, Leon summoned the bourgeois to the Curia on behalf of the cities, giving rise to the Courts. Originally, it consisted of three branches, attending to the king’s queries and voting on subsidies, fulfilling the basic obligations of the vassal: auxilium and consilium. This polity evolved differently in Castile and Aragon.
Castile: Centralization and Royal Authority
Castile developed theories based on Roman law, introducing the idea of the king as sovereign, responsible only to God. The strongest political organization in Castile was its institutional development. The merging of Castile and Leon led to two new institutions:
- The Royal Council: A technical agency founded in 1385, integrated mainly by lawyers who advised the king.
- The Audience: From 1371, the supreme organ of justice, subject only to the king. Originally traveling, it was permanently based in Valladolid in the 15th century.
Locally, the monarchy’s role grew. In the time of Alfonso XI (1312-1350), open and democratic councils were replaced by regiments whose members (aldermen) were elected by the king and usually belonged to the nobility and gentry. The figure of the mayor appeared, originating from officials temporarily sent by the king for specific tasks, but in the 15th century, they became permanent representatives of the crown in the main towns.
Aragon: Feudalism and Regional Autonomy
In Aragon, each territory had its own laws and institutions, upholding the feudal concept of a covenant between the king and his subjects. This emerged during the reign of Peter the Great, rooted in the confrontation between France and the Pope after the conquest of Sicily. He was forced to yield to the demands of the nobility (General Grant of Privilege, 1283), committing the monarch to seeking the Parliament’s consent on important issues. The most important institutions were:
- The Viceroys: Represented the monarch in each territory.
- The Courts: Defended the special interests of the leading social forces in their kingdoms.
- Regional Governments: Emerged from commissions created when the king called for a subsidy but became permanent. The most important were:
- The Generalitat (1359): Created for fiscal commitments but also to ensure compliance with laws and public order.
- The Kingdom of Aragon (1412): Created as a committee of treasurers but ended up incorporating political issues.
- The Kingdom of Valencia (1419): Never became important political powers.
- The Justice of Aragon: A member of the nobility appointed by the Courts, responsible for defending Aragon against monarchical claims.
The municipal government consisted of a thin appointed by the king, magistrates with executive power, and an assembly, which was an advisory body.